A Controversial View On Exercise

One of the sites I check from time to time for post ideas, Fat News, is having a field day with Gary Taubes’ Good Calories, Bad Calories book on the science behind our diets that came out late last month. One post in particular caught my eye – he claims that exercise is not actually helpful in losing weight, because it makes you hungry.
I admit, I’ve been known to feel my tummy growling about an hour after exercising – even if I’ve had enough calories for the day. But the benefits of exercise overall far outweigh a case of the munchies (providing you don’t go overboard) – improved cardiovascular health, which means reduced risk for heart disease, cancers and other ailments. Not to mention a boost in energy and overall wellbeing!
It’s true that if you overeat, you won’t see results from your hard work. Here are a few tips for not cancelling out all those calories burned:

-Drink plenty of water. If you’re thirsty, your body may interpret it as hunger.
-Have a small, energy-dense snack like a handful of nuts or a piece of string cheese. These have protein, which will curb your appetite.
-Keep the junk out of the house! If it’s not there, you can’t pig out on it when hunger takes over.

Claire